Seven months after Carriqui — the now-shuttered spot known for its upscale South Texas cuisine — had its final service in the Boehler’s Liberty Saloon at the Pearl, a new restaurant concept is moving into the historic space.
Houston’s Bludorn Hospitality Group will take over the 1890s-era structure with its first restaurant concept outside its hometown, according to Pearl officials. They did not provide the name of the restaurant, details about its menu or a grand opening date.
However, we do know this much: James Beard Award semifinalist Aaron Bludorn — he was nominated for Best Chef: Texas in 2022 — will oversee the new Pearl dining destination. His hospitality group — which he runs with partners Cherif Mbodji and Victoria Pappas Bludorn — owns and operates four restaurants in Houston: Bludorn, Navy Blue, Bar Bludorn and Perseid.
Bludorn earned a spot on the Michelin Texas dining guide’s “recommended” list with a menu that marries elements of French, American and Gulf Coast cuisine. The concept’s sister establishments also focus on seafood and French themes. Perseid’s name pays tribute to the eponymous meteor shower.
Aaron Bludorn is the second Houston-based chef to lay roots in San Antonio’s Pearl district. Chef Levi Goode opened Otto’s Ice House in February 2025. That establishment’s name pays tribute to Otto Koehler, president and co-founder of the San Antonio Brewing Association, which ultimately became known as the Pearl Brewery.
Over its history, the Boehler’s Liberty Saloon building served as a boardinghouse, saloon and general store. In the 1980s, the structure — by then known for its gravity-defying lean — began a new chapter as the original Liberty Bar location.
Developer Silver Ventures eventually purchased the property and in 2014 moved it across the street from the Pearl complex, where it underwent a major renovation. Carriqui was the building’s first tenant after the extensive facelift.
Sign Up for SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
Related Stories
Bludorn will open a new restaurant in the historic 1890s building across the street from San Antonio’s Pearl complex.
ACS officials also revealed at a Thursday public safety meeting that the department doesn’t pick up stray dogs due to a lack of space at its holding facility.
Poundstone will perform a stand-up show Saturday, May 30, at San Antonio’s Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.